Immigration policy today has been largely driven by the border with Mexico. Nativism and xenophobia are both the causes and the results of attempts to seal off that border from movement that has been naturally occurring for longer than anyone knows. When we hear American politicians and white citizens complain about the dangers of immigrants and of illegal immigration, they are not talking about the airports or overstayed student visas or even the border with Canada. They mean the border with Mexico and they mean people of color. That very specific type of xenophobia is not new and has definite origins, all rooted in Texas. In matters regarding U.S. immigration policy, all roads lead to El Paso, Texas.
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On Border Security…
Conservative Figures to Speak at a 3-day Border Security Rally This Weekend in McAllen I hadn’t planned to post again so soon after the last post, but I came across this and had to address it. “The ‘We Stand America’ rally is planned for Friday through Sunday and is being hosted by several conservative, anti-illegal…
The Calm Before the Federal Storm
The late 1850s saw the Chinese government attempting to intervene in the treatment of Chinese immigrants in the Western states. American officials weren’t unresponsive, but the American consul in Kwangtung differentiated between the “coolie trade” and “voluntary emigration of Chinese adventurers.” He opined that regulations regarding voluntary labor could be addressed in future treaties, but…
Well, I am back
In many ways, I am like a toddler. I am cranky without a nap; I prefer to eat with my fingers. I eat rice with a spoon. I always yell “cow” when I see one from a car. Squirrels and shiny objects will always distract me. But mostly, I thrive on patterns and routine, all…
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Defining America at its Border 